The Busan Metropolitan City Health and Environment Research Institute will conduct a comprehensive soil safety inspection of all 61 barefoot walking trails in the region.
The preemptive inspection comes as barefoot walking has gained significant popularity recently, while concerns have been raised about heavy metal and chemical accumulation in the soil.
Starting in April, the institute plans to collect samples sequentially and analyze eight types of heavy metals including lead (Pb) and copper (Cu), as well as pH levels. Sites exceeding hazardous substance thresholds will undergo immediate remediation and improvement measures.
The institute said it will use this comprehensive survey as an opportunity to systematically manage the environmental safety of barefoot walking trails.